Conveyer



E. A. TURNER ET AL- CONVEYER Filed Jun 27, 1956 mm mm Dec. 21, 1937.

Patented Dec. 2l, 1937 UNITED STATES CONVEYER Edwin Archer Turner,Surdy, Tuckahoe, assignments, Inc., (1922), Delaware New York, andCharles J. N. Y., assignors, by Vmesne to The Standard Stoker CompanyNew York, N.` Y., a corporation of Application .Tune 27, 193s, serialNo. 87,622 f 6 Claims.

Our invention relates to conveyers and especially to conveyers of thetype which are especially adaptable for service in the transfer of fuelfrom the tender to a locomotive rebox.

It is the principal object of our invention to provide improved meansfor supporting one end of a conveyer, such improved means consisting ofa pivotally supported member which supports the aforesaid end of theconveyer in a manner to provide universal movement therefor.

A further object of our invention resides in the provision of suchimproved supporting means whereby the supported end of the conveyer iscapable Aof universal movement with respect to the pivotally supportedmember as the latter swings about its axis. Y

A more specific object of our invention contemplates' the provision ofthis novel support in a locomotive stoker conveying system andespecially for use in a conveying system employing several conveyershaving an offset relation therebetween.

These and other objects will become apparent as the followingdescription of our invention is read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing wherein the invention has been illustrated in its embodiment ina locomotive stoker.

Fig. 1 of the drawing is a view partly in section and partly inelevation through adjacent portions of a locomotive and tenderillustrating the improved conveyer embodied in a stoker mechamsm;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

On this drawing, A is the locomotive, B the tender thereof and C acoupling member between the locomotive and tender. The'locomotive Aincludes a boiler I having a backhead II on which is supported the fueldischarge conveyer I2 of the stoker mechanism S. At I3 is indicated thetank of the tender B and it is provided with a compartment I4 beneaththe deck I5, the latter forming the bottom of the fuel bin I6.

The stoker mechanism S includes a conveyer I 1 rigidly mounted on thetender within the compartment I4, the fuel discharge conveyer I2 whichis rigidly attached to the backhead II of the locomotive boiler by meansof brackets I8,

I9, and an intermediate conveyer 20 between the conveyers I2 and I1.Comprising the conveyer I1 is a trough-like conduit 2I having anupwardly opening mouth 22 which registers with an ap- (cl. 19a- 15) V39to the conveyer screw 48 conduit 35.Y

erture 23 inthe fuelbin floor I5. This aper# ture is covered by plates24 which are slidable to form an opening 25 in-various'longitudinalrelations with respect toy the fuel bin I6.. and throughwhich openingthefuel falls into fthe conduit 2| upon a conveyer screw 26 therein. Theconveyer screw 2B urges the fuel forwardly and cooperates with a toothedcrusher 21 to reduce large lumps of fuel to a suitable size forefficient firing.

The intermediate conveyer 20 includes a coriduit element 29 having arearward end 30 which is disposed beneath the tubular discharge end 3|of the trough conduit 2| to receive fuel there,` from. Forward of itsrearward end 30, theY in a tubular portion 32 having a spherical flange33which is received in a spherical seat 34 of an,

elevating conduit 35, the latter comprising a portion of the inclinedconveyer I2. A clamp 36 re-` tains the spherical flange 33 in the seat34 and these parts form a ball and socket joint 31 between theintermediate conduit element 29 land the elevating conduit 35. that theVball and socket joint 31 permits angular movement between the conduits29, 35 but maintains a constant longitudinal relation there.- between. Y-Within the conduit element 29.is a conveyer screw 38 which is connectedby afuniversal joint of the elevating At its rearward end, the conveyerscrew 38 has an operative connection, which may be in the form of auniversal joint 4I, withV a stub shaft 42 journalled in the bearing 43of the conduit element 29. The stub shaft 42 is connected by a universaljoint 44 to an extensible and contractibleshaft 45 which underlies thetrough conduit 2| and is universally connected at 46 to the drivemechanism` 41. YThe drive.

mechanism includes a gear 48 which is arranged to connect the conveyerscrew 38 and. the trough conveyer screw 26 to a. poweroperated shaft 49(Fig. 3). VThe gear 48 is meshed by a gear (not shown) .secured to thepower shaft 49.V The gear 48 is looselyrmounted on a shaft 50 which isoperatively connected'to the trough conveyer screw 26. On one side, thegear l48lis provided with clutch teeth I which are arranged to beengaged by teeth 52 of a clutch element 53 slidably mounted on keys suchas 54 of the shaft 50. The gear 48 has fixed thereto a gearz55 which hasan operative connection with the extensible and contractible shaftv45.By this construction,

.the conveyerscrews 26 and-38 operate'together:

. p termediate conduit element 29 is provided Wlth It will be observedCause when the clutch teeth 5I, 52 are inv engagement. However, shouldforeign material, wedgingrbetween the flights of the conveyer screw 26and the crusher 21, render the entire conveying mechanism inoperative,the clutchelement 53 may be moved to the positionshown in Fig. l wherebythe conveyer screw38 will continue to operate.

VManual delivery of fuel into the upwardly open rearward" end `3!! vofthe intermediate conduit element 29 is effected by swingmg open thehinged cover 56 in the tender deck I5 and also by moving the foremostplate 24 to the left.

The rearward-end 30 of vtheconduit element 29 Y is supported in animproved andnovel manner to provide for the necessary `movement betweenthe Stoker units as articulation of thelocomotive and tender occurs. endof the conduit element 29 is providedwith acircular lug 51 fitting intoan opening 58 formed in the bottom wall 59 ofthe saddle member G0. Ateach side of its bottom wall 59, the saddle memberil is provided with anupstanding flange II.A A heavy round bar 62 passes-through oppositeupper ends of the flanges BI and through the lugs 63 which are formed onthe upper forward portion of the tubular discharge end 3| of the troughconduit 2 I. Y

` In'this manner, the saddle member 6U and the rearward end of theconduit element 29 are pivotally supported from the trough conduit 2'I.jABy disposing the bar62 at aconsiderable distance above the bottom wall590i Vthe saddle member 60, the wall 59 and the rearward end 30 of theconduit element 29`will swing through acornparatively flat arc asrelative fore and aft movement between the locomotive and tender occurs.Thus, thelower end of the conduit element 29 may be spaced closely tothe trough conduit 2|.

During operation of the locomotive and tender, the intermediatezconveyer2li,` by reason of its universal connection 31 with the inclinedconveyer I2 and the novel'support at the rearward' end of the conduitelement 29, provides for the necessary articulation between theconveyers I1, I2. When the locomotive andv tender become separatedadistance greater than that shown in element 29 draws the saddle memberV50 forwardly about the vaxis of the bar 62; rearward movement o f thesaddle member 69 takes placewhen the distance between the locomotive andtender is reduced,

such as will occur upon coupling of additional cars. As shown, thesaddle member 69 and the rearward end of conduit element 29 supported bythe saddle member areY capable of movement several inches'in a forwardor rearward direction.

When the locomotive and tender round curves, Y

lateral displacement of the vehicles and conveyers I1, I2 will takeplace. In such instances, the intermediate conveyer 20 will flexlaterally about the universal joint 31 and the axis of the fcircular lug51.` When the vehicles and conveyers I1, I2 move vertically with respectto. each other, the rearward end of the intermediate conveyer'ZU maymove about a horizontal transverse axis be- :the underside of Vtheconduit elementY 29 adjacent the lug 51 is slightly spherical in shape.

Y'Iheopening 5 8 is also elongated slightly to per- Vmit such movementYof the intermediate conveyer.Y

As shown in Figs. 2 andS, the circularV lug 51 it'sV closely adjacentthe lateral sides Yof the slightly elongated opening58 whereby movementof the conduit element 29 about its longitudinal axisis Y restrained. iA From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a On its under side, therearward novel support' for the rearward end of the intermediateconveyer 20 has been provided, such support providing ample flexure andextensibility between the conveyers I1 and 20 when the locomotiveY andAtender are rounding curves, crossing switches. and turntables or uponsudden stops and starts of the vehicles. l

We claim the following as new and useful:

,1. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a

fconveyer of constant length extending between thelocomotive and tender,one end of said conveyer beingiexibly supported on one of said vehiclesand having an unvarying longitudinal relaw vtion therewith, ,theopposite end Yof said conveyer being kdisposed on the other of saidintercoupled vehiclesymeansfor,supporting the last named endof,saidconveyer on such vehicle, said means including a'v member pivotallysupported on suchvehicle to swing on a horizontal transverse axis only,the last named end of said conveyer beingpivotally Supported on saidmember for movement about a vertical axis, and means restraining axialrotation of said conveyer.

2. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveyer o f constantlength extending between the locomotive and tender, one end of said.conveyer being flexibly supported on one of Asaid vehicles and havingan unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, the oppositeV end of saidconvveyer being disposed on the other of said intercoupled vehicles,means for supporting thelastl named end of said conveyerV onsuchlvellicle,V said means including a member pivotally supported onsuch vehicle'to swing on a horizontal transverse axis only, the .lastnamed end of said conveyerV being pivotally supportedjon said member yfor movement about a transverse horizontal axis vmeans including amember pivotallysupportedson such vehicle to swing on a horizontaltransverse axis only, the last named end of said` conveyer beingpivotally supported .on said member for movement about vertical andtransverse horizontal Aaxes with respect to said member, and meansrestraining axial rotation of said conveyer.

'4. In aniintercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveyer of constantlength extendingrbetween the locomotive and tender, one end of said con-Vveyer beingV exibly supported on one` of said vehicles and having Vanunvarying longitudinal relation therewith,the opposite end-of saidconveyer bein'gdisposed on the other of said intercoupled vehicles,` andVmeans for supporting the'V last named end of said conveyer-on suchvehicle, said means including a saddle-member provided with a bottomwall, the' last named end' of said conveyer being pivotally supportedon' said bottom wallfor movement about a vertical axis, and means'forpivotally supportingV said saddle memberA for movement about ahorizontal transverse 5 axis only, the axisof said saddle member beingat a sufficient distance above the bottom wall thereof Awherebysaidbottom VWaiiwiu swing fore and aft,

with respect to said vehicle through a relatively i'lat arc.

5. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveyer of constantlength extending between the locomotive and tender, one end of saidconveyer being exibly supported on one of said vehicles and having anunvarying longitudinal relation therewith, the opposite end of saidconveyer being disposed on the other of said intercoupled vehicles, andmeans for supporting the last named end of said conveyer on suchvehicle,

said means including a saddle member provided with a bottom wall, thelast named end of said conveyer being pivotally supported on said bottomwall for movement about a transverse horizontal axis with respect to thebottom wall of said saddle member, and means for pivotally supportingsaid saddle member for movement about a horizontal transverse axis only,the axis of said saddle member being at a sufficient distance above thebottom wall thereof whereby said bottom wall will swing fore and aftwith respect to said vehicle through a relatively at arc.

y 3 6. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveyer of constantlength extending'between the locomotive and tender, one end of-saidconveyer being exibly supported on one of said vehicles and having anunvarying longitudinal relation therewith, the opposite end of saidconveyer being disposed on the other of saidintercoupled vehicles, andmeans for supporting the last named end ofv said conveyer on suchvehicle, said means including a saddle member provided with a bottomwall, conveyer being pivotally supported on said bottom wall formovement about vertical and transversehorizontal axes with respect 'tothe bottom wall of said saddle member, and means for pivotallysupporting said saddle member for movement about a horizontal transverseaxis only,` the axis of said'saddle member being at a sulcient distanceabove the bottom wall thereof whereby said bottom wall will swing foreand aft with respect to said vehicle through a relatively at arc.

E. ARCHER TURNER. CHARLES J. SURDY.

10 the last namedcend of said

